The ESRB has issued an initial rating of AO (Adults Only) for Manhunt 2.
We believe the process of rating videogames is to help people make informed entertainment choices and not to limit them.
Manhunt 2 was created for mature audiences and we strongly believe it should receive an M (Mature) rating, aligning it with similar content created in other forms of media. We are exploring our options with regard to the rating of Manhunt 2.
Discuss in Comments Section:
Personally I think this is HUGE NEWS gamers. Whether it will be “good news” has yet to be seen but this is big. Do you think there will be a back lash of angry parents attempting to ban this title?
Comments
I hope (somehow,but not likely) that Nintendo will let this game be licensed and sold. I know Wal-Mart and just about every store will not carry a game with an “AO” rating but to sacrifice the content of the developers dream for the sake of making other people happy, is wrong. To make it “M” rated by taking out what they had originally done with the game is not really freedom of speech in America. This is a big can of worms for sure. I understand that Manhunt 2 has “prolonged scenes of intense violence” to warrant an “AO” rating, but just because of this rating we will not be able to play the game Rockstar had intended us to play. It will be a watered down version just so everyone will have a chance to PLAY the game?! This is a strange country we live in. Movies and video games have a double standard when it comes to this rating stuff. How about when a movie is released to DVD and they always have the “unrated” version to rent? The movie was rated “R” but the “unrated” version no doubt would be higher than “R” maybe “NC-17″ but nothing is said about that because it is “unrated”. Just make Manhunt 2 “unrated” and maybe we’ll be able to play the original version. Good luck hoping for that. I’m sure “M” rated Manhunt 2 will be released instead. Shame on the ESRB.
Manhunt 2 probably does clasify as an “M” rated game anyway. If “M” rated means the same as “R” rated, then the content in Manhunt 2 deserves an “M” rating. How may XXX rated movies were rated that way for violence? None. Those movies are for Adults only right? Also movies are worse than games because you are looking at real people. A game is still a game no matter how much violence is in it. If the game is “M” rated for people 17 years old or older, then Manhunt 2 should never ever be allowed to be sold to anyone under the age of 17 or without an ID. Didn’t we already do this before in years past? “M” rated games cannot be sold to under age kids anyway. The fact that people are arguing that “M” rated games are being marketed to kids might be true, but that is the fault of the game company making the game and not the rating or the game itself. Also parents and their stupidity are a huge part to blame as well. The damn games have rating for a reason. I hope that Manhunt 2 somehow gets the same content but passed with an “M” rating and let it be an example of exactly the kind of gamer that the game is for. People 17 years of age and older and no one else. Get it done.